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PODCAST

Acquiring Minds

Buying a business is an amazing path for many successful entrepreneurs. Learn how to buy a business from the entrepreneurs who have already done it. 2x per week: stories, insights, & valuable advice about acquisition entrepreneurship. Hosted by Will Smith, who is on his own path to acquire a business. Also on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AcquiringMinds Sign up for episode summaries at: https://acquiringminds.co

business entrepreneurship

All Episodes

116:16

Buying to $4m Across 7 Sites in 3 Years

Acquiring Minds ·

2025/11/13

Gail Azodo discovered a method of buying audiology practices with 100% financing. She's moving quickly to buy and build.Register for the webinar:Financing Your Deal: SBA vs. Non-SBA - TODAY - https://bit.ly/4p4J2Q7Topics in Gail’s interview:Managing brands at Proctor and GambleHer vision to run her own companyLife changing power of hearing aidsSwitching her search from Vision to AudiologyConsequences of untreated hearing lossFinancing through hearing aid manufacturersCross-licensing her

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87:12

Why Choose Ownership Over Being a CEO

Acquiring Minds ·

2025/11/10

After chafing under the constraints of being a CEO, Katherine Butler-Dines & Rahul Desai bought a business of their own.Register for the webinar:Financing Your Deal: SBA vs. Non-SBA - Nov 13th - https://bit.ly/47OQpUATopics in Katherine and Rahul’s interview:Katherine’s early CEO experienceBoard conflicts pushed her toward majority ownershipAcquiring without a traditional bank loanConvincing the seller to do a seller notePaying the seller note with float from advance bookingsRahul built

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90:51

How to Build a $5m Media Business Into a $20m Flywheel

Acquiring Minds ·

2025/11/06

Clayton Collins acquired HousingWire with a big vision for the small media business. 9 years later, it has come to life.Register for the webinar:Overcoming Risks from a Lender’s Perspective - TODAY! - https://bit.ly/3WxDKAsTopics in Clayton’s interview:Hire for your skill gapsFlying around the country to meet investorsAsking for warm introductionsSelling investors on his strategic visionWhat to look for in a media companyDirect relationships with advertisers vs. programmatic adsRebuilding

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117:25

Timing is Everything: Buying a $30m Tutoring Business

Acquiring Minds ·

2025/11/03

Both buyer Jared Lenner and seller Dave Serwitz share their perspectives on the acquisition of a 20-year-old business.Register for the webinars: Investor-Backed Search and SBA: Buy Bigger, Keep Control - TOMORROW! - https://bit.ly/4qABMgnOvercoming Risks from a Lender’s Perspective - Thu Nov 6th - https://bit.ly/4qDoJdVTopics in Jared & Dave’s interview:Jared buying Dave’s tutoring businessDave’s motivation to sellChoosing to work with Search Fund AcceleratorTheir agreement to “assume

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96:57

Started Mid-Career, Grew to $38m in 3 Years

Acquiring Minds ·

2025/10/30

Shaun Stimpson had worked for two decades before pivoting to buying businesses in a different industry. He's moved fast.Register for the webinar: Tax Issues: Entity and Deal Structuring - TODAY! - http://bit.ly/47CVZuiTopics in Shaun’s interview:Staying in corporate was the riskier choiceCalling 1200 businesses during his searchGoing back to school to learn more about acquisitionAcquiring with his partner, Robert WolfRaising $6m from outside investorsLeaning on his professional

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89:07

Buying a Wide Moat in a Consolidating Industry

Acquiring Minds ·

2025/10/27

Ania Aliev was so eager to buy her business, she worked the deal while in labor at the hospital. It's been worth it.Register for the webinar: Tax Issues: Entity and Deal Structuring - Thu Oct 30 - http://bit.ly/43tlhIPTopics in Ania’s interview:Rushing to get a deal closed before giving birthUsing her people skills to connect with sellersSearching only in the Eastern USBuying an AED sales and service companyMyths about AEDsFiguring out the best pricing modelLack of competition in the

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95:13

From €4 Million, to Zero, to €12 Million

Acquiring Minds ·

2025/10/23

Despite skepticism from her US investors, Ivona Butcher bought (and tripled) a business in her native Czech Republic.Topics in Ivona’s interview:Doing business in a post-Soviet cultureDetermination to acquire in the Czech RepublicBuying a business as a married coupleGetting into exhibition services right before CovidLosing all revenue at onset of CovidPivoting to virtual eventsFinding work for their carpenters and metalsmithsAggressively re-negotiating their loan with the bankBuying back

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84:54

Building Trust as New Owner of a $3m Business

Acquiring Minds ·

2025/10/20

Ruchik Gandhi was a diligence CPA when he decided to get in the game himself. Becoming an owner has been an education.Topics in Ruchik’s interview:India > Australia > US immigrationDiscovery of the wonders of multiple arbitrageReceiving the deal from another searcherPaying a $20k finder’s feeBuying a fabrics and upholstery workroomLearning how to manage a blue-collar workforceMishandling employee relationshipsTaking feedback from his managersEarning the employees’ trustHis plan for

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81:28

Buying a $1.6m Business for the Inventory Value

Acquiring Minds ·

2025/10/16

Undeterred by self doubt, Danyelle Nys bought a $400k SDE business at a fantastic price. She's grown it 25% in year one.Topics in Danyelle’s interview:Working in her family’s asphalt businessLearning about ETA from a masterclassHiring a coach for the search processBuying a business for the price of inventory + working capitalThe seller was running it remotelyRaising prices and salaries after acquisitionDealing with an obstinate commercial landlordMoving 14,000 sq ft of inventory to a new

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105:41

Buying 2 Rivals to Create a Dominant Leader

Acquiring Minds ·

2025/10/13

When his deal died the first time, Kyle Poll was devastated. But then it came back around, larger and more interesting.Topics in Kyle’s interview:Skills he learned on his 2-year Mormon missionGrowing Gympass from $10m to $100mAiming for happiness at work and homeEarning the respect of brokersWatching his deals die and being outbidQ of E that drastically lowered the business valueEmotional rollercoaster of full-time searchCompleting his acquisition as CEO with equityFinding investors who

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70:06

Trades Over Tech: Buying an Appliance Repair Business

Acquiring Minds ·

2025/10/09

Brian Seeling sought a blue-collar business with a good manager in place. He found exactly that — with $2.6m in revenue.Register for the webinar: Tactical EQ to Win Over Sellers and Brokers - TODAY! - https://bit.ly/46MlUhCTopics in Brian’s interview:Being an entrepreneurial kidMoving from IT to blue-collarGetting value from SMBootcamp“Riches are in the niches”Satisfaction of developing peopleNot all SBA lending is the same“Billionaires do business with billionaires”Tactfully bringing about

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88:11

Acquisition Unlock: €210m in 5 Years

Acquiring Minds ·

2025/10/06

Nick Keegan owned a struggling software business doing just €1m/yr until an acquisition put it on the path to 9 figures.Register for the webinars: How PACT Simplifies Investor Deals Using SBA - TOMORROW! - https://bit.ly/42jGpB2Tactical EQ to Win Over Sellers and Brokers - Thu Oct 9th - https://bit.ly/48wqcMPTopics in Nick’s interview:10 years in the Irish Defense ForcesHis app idea that ultimately failedPivoting his failed business into Mail MetricsSuccessfully competing against larger

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89:04

$60m Roll-Up That Started With an SBA Acquisition

Acquiring Minds ·

2025/10/02

Onu Okebie and Brian Boland wanted to retain 100% ownership when they began, so they used an SBA loan. It has paid off.Register for the webinars: The ABCs of Franchise M&A: Deal Sourcing, Diligence, and Integration - TODAY! - https://bit.ly/481yThOHow PACT Simplifies Investor Deals Using SBA - Tue Oct 7th - https://bit.ly/48FjAvqTopics in Brian and Onu’s interview:Forming a partnership in business schoolSearching for 2.5 yearsClosing on their first business while still in

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77:56

Founder Mode for ETA: $6m to $25m in 3 Years

Acquiring Minds ·

2025/09/29

Aizik Zimerman bought a home services business to build a consumer brand into his life's work. It seems to be working. Register for the webinar: The ABCs of Franchise M&A: Deal Sourcing, Diligence, and Integration - Thu Oct 2nd - https://bit.ly/46E2uv8Topics in Aizik’s interview:There is endless opportunity in home servicesHis goal of $1 billion in revenueAdvantage of his youthful energyGoing all-in on digital advertisingSmall business = big problemsFounder Mode theoryOrganic growth

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80:34

Family Offices for Searchers: A Primer

Acquiring Minds ·

2025/09/25

James Bohannon of family office Belzberg & Co. explains the FO world and its untapped potential for searchers & sponsors.Topics in James’s interview:What is a family office?Family office capital sustains private marketsYou may wear jeans, but there are tradeoffsPrivate, insular nature of family officesHow to network with family officesWhen it makes sense to exit to a family officeLong-term holds are a good fitPlaying defense and offense within family officesFamily offices do not

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87:41

Deciding to Exit After 2 Years of Ownership

Acquiring Minds ·

2025/09/22

Register for the webinar: Liquidity Options for Search Investors - Wed Sep 24th - https://bit.ly/48lptOcJack Saville was asked if owning a small business was underutilizing his talents. The question prompted a big decision.Topics in Jack and Sam’s interview:Jack’s motivation to own something and take a riskYou are always buying a jobLinking up with Sam Rosati through SMBootcampBuying a business far from his familyRealizing that he didn’t want to operate a lifestyle businessDifficulties of

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93:09

So Much Fun: The Buyer of Choice in a Fragmented...

Acquiring Minds ·

2025/09/18

Register for the webinars: Liquidity Options for Search Investors - Wed Sep 24th - https://bit.ly/41WmQymEmployee Issues & Non-Competes When Buying a Business - TODAY!- https://bit.ly/4nrvvkDMark Anderegg built the largest private daycare business in New England. He loved the model so much he's doing it again. Topics in Mark’s interview:Raising a search fund himselfBeing the “world’s worst searcher”Acquiring a 16-location childcare networkPressure of running an essential businessThe

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129:53

From SBA Loan to High 8-Figure Exit

Acquiring Minds ·

2025/09/15

Register for the webinar: Employee Issues & Non-Competes When Buying a Business - Thu Sep 18th - https://bit.ly/4mbU9EIJerod Pierce bought an HVAC business with $500k of SDE. Five years later, private equity was desperate to buy him out.Topics in Jerod’s interview:Challenging upbringing in foster careAdaptability as a survival skillJoining the investment club in collegeGetting his MBA from Harvard Business SchoolLearning about ETA from Rick and RoyceSearching only in Seattle by cold

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82:07

The Flywheel of Buying Businesses in a Single Region

Acquiring Minds ·

2025/09/11

Register for the webinar: Buyer of Choice Series Pt 1: Building Your Personal Buyer Brand (in a Sea of Searchers) - TODAY!- https://bit.ly/46ntJLGDoug Lepisto has partnered with 7 searchers to acquire businesses strictly in Western Michigan. Momentum is building.Topics in Doug’s interview: Having one foot in academia, one in businessPlace-based private equity modelDelivering returns while elevating Western MichiganCompetitive advantage through building local trust“Find the operator, find

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109:34

Hiring a CEO to Run Things (and Get Life Back)

Acquiring Minds ·

2025/09/08

Register for the webinar: Buyer of Choice Series Pt 1: Building Your Personal Buyer Brand (in a Sea of Searchers) - Thu Sep 11th - https://bit.ly/4pcznI8Jeremy Hunka bought a $2m cabinet business, and year one consumed him. Leadership had to evolve for things to improve.Topics in Jeremy’s interview:Buying a business at age 27Rocky first day as ownerLiving 1.5 hours from the businessEmployees wanting him present every dayTaking too long to fire an employeeWatching sales drop dangerously

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408 results

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